Christ our Hope & Refuge
Our goal with this podcast is to be a resource for those who are seeking refuge and to point them to the hope in Christ!
Christ our Hope & Refuge
Ep 9 - What Does it Mean to be Born Again?
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What does the bible say about being born again?
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Hi, I'm Emma Lisa. Welcome to our podcast, Christ, Our Hope and Refuge.
SPEAKER_01And I'm Natalie. Our heart behind this podcast is to be a resource for those who are seeking refuge and to point them to the hope that is in Christ. Hello, hello.
SPEAKER_02Hi. Welcome back, everyone.
SPEAKER_01We are back, and it's a beautiful day. If you're watching on YouTube, we look the same as last episode. We're recording more than one today. And also we accidentally matched our hair. So um I matched with a lot of people today. I did two of my students' hair to look like me too. So lots of people are doing the print the two. I almost call them princess braids because little girls call all braids princess braids. But so we're matching. But anyway, um, before we jump in, is there something that you are looking forward to, Annalisa? Maybe it's later today, maybe it's this week, this month, this year. What's something that is exciting to you and that you're looking forward to?
SPEAKER_02Okay, so I'm looking forward to a lot of things, but one thing I can think of, actually, it's two things I can think of, but so tomorrow, I'm thinking one day ahead. So we uh have a tradition where every Friday we go to our favorite coffee shop. Oh, yes. Shout out camp coffee.
SPEAKER_01Um downtown Howen, if you're local.
SPEAKER_02Yes. And they do make great coffee and um we just do just meet a bunch of our friends, young adults in the community, and we usually do like a half hour of fellowshipping and then a half hour of our own individual Bible time. It's just it's a very sweet way to start the weekend.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02And also tomorrow evening, we have our garden view prom, which is exciting. Yeah. So I actually still gotta find my dress, but thankfully I'm finding it from your classic, which is the woman of dresses, and I don't have many, so yes.
SPEAKER_01Maybe expound on that a little bit what you mean by a garden view prom. Some people don't know what that is. Like, what is that? You're going to prom, you're in high school. What's explain that just as mid. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So I work at uh assisted living and memory support community, and every year we do a prom for sweet. And yeah, it's just a lot of fun. This year we're actually doing two hours instead of one. Okay. Because I guess they requested it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And I'm like, I might need an extra cup of coffee to dance for two hours straight. It's a workout. But yeah, I'm excited.
SPEAKER_01Oh, so fun. How sweet. I love that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And what's something that you're looking forward to, Natalie?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Before I answer your question, I'm just I want to make sure this is your official invite if you're local. Um, and you are looking for community. Um, you are welcome anytime Friday mornings at 7 a.m. at Camp Coffee in downtown Houghton. Um, we call it community Bible time. Um, so some people um have asked, oh, like, do you do a Bible study? And no, it's not a Bible study. Um it is a time to meet other um believers in the area, um, or maybe even if you're interested in Christianity and you just want to find out more and ask some questions. We've had some people like that too, which is really exciting. Um uh it's just a time to, yeah, um gather in a in a public place with others who are um excited to read their Bible, and then um we have a specific do not disturb 30 minutes time frame from 7:30 to 8 o'clock where everyone individually opens their Bible and um and meets with the Lord in whatever whatever that looks like for them. So some people are um going through a Bible reading plan, some people are doing a Bible study on their own, some people are writing their prayer journal or a little bit of both, some people leave and go for a prayer walk. So it's just really beautiful. Um, and it will never cease to amaze me um how big our God is that I mean, obviously we know the Lord is what is it? Omnipresent. Omnipresent, omnipotent omnipotent omnipotent. Oh gosh. I don't know how the difference of it's basically that he can like he's doesn't he's not just in one place, you know.
SPEAKER_02Like he can I think that would be um omnipresent then.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so like you can talk to him at the same time, I'm talking to him, and it's not like he's like, all right, hold the line, Annalisa, you know, like it just doesn't work like that. It's very confusing, but either way, well, that sounded silly, but um either way, it just amazes me anytime I'm in a group of people that are all individually seeking the Lord on their own. It's like, and we all have confidence that he's listening to us and we are talking to him. It's crazy when you think about that. Like, of course, it's an infinite God and we are finite humans, so it's hard to understand. But anyway, side note. Anyway, so this is your official invite. If you would like to join us, please do. We are there every Friday at seven o'clock, so it's the best way to start the weekend.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we always joke that we're like, you know how people are like um Black Friday shopping or whatever, they're there early. That's like us at Cam Coffee. We're like waiting for them to open, you know.
SPEAKER_01They're waiting for them to turn the sign over. Yeah. So yeah, they do have good coffee, but the vibes are top-notch and also the baristas are amazing. So um, yeah, what am I looking forward to is yeah, I'm like like you said, very next only few hours type thing. Um, so much to look forward to in the next few weeks and months and and year. Um because the Lord is that good and he is just given us so many abundant blessings. But what I'm currently looking forward to in this exact moment is as soon as we finish recording in like 30 minutes or an hour, um, I am going over to my friend's house um who has been gone for about a month, and um, she is an older sister in the Lord to me, and she is the person who disciples me. Um if you're not familiar with that term, um, essentially uh I think it's Titus II calls um younger women to look for an older woman to uh basically guide them in the way that they should go, you know, like to look up to. Um and also calls younger men to do that, to look for an older man to do that, um, to follow. Um so discipleship anyway, and so I have been in a discipleship relationship with her for, gosh, I don't know, so long, quite a few years. And um I don't know if there's anyone who knows me as much as she does, except for Jesus, of course. And it's just such a blessing to be like so known by someone um and just know that I can literally bring anything to her and um and that she will be honest with me. And um, yeah, and just I feel like we can often we live with ourselves and so we like know the tendencies of our of our own heart and um we can sometimes miss maybe what the Lord is doing or different ways the Lord has grown us, right? Because we live with ourselves every day and we yeah, I don't know about you, but I get very sick of myself. Um, and so it's just really um cool to have uh just an older sister in the Lord who can like speak truth into my life and be like, no, but like look at what the Lord has done or just different ways um and then help me grow. Um what does Paul say? Uh follow me as I follow Christ or something like that. Maybe that's not maybe Paul doesn't say that, but either way, that was a long-winded response. But I'm very much looking forward to seeing her and just catching up with her and her family. And yeah.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's so sweet. I'm excited for you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So yes, uh, a really quick switch of the topic. What are we talking about today?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so we are talking about um the term being born again. And honestly, I think before we even jump into this topic, it's like important for us to even understand what born again means is having that understanding that we are all spiritually born spiritually dead.
SPEAKER_01And so everyone has the everyone has the first birth, which is like your your physical birth. Your physical birth into this world, yes.
SPEAKER_02In your mom's tummy. Yeah, yeah. But then um Jesus talks about, you know, the second birth, the being born again. And it's an interesting um even uh so Nicodemus has this long conversation with Jesus, which I actually don't have I've gotta pull that up here.
SPEAKER_01John three.
SPEAKER_02And uh so says John three, now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? How can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered and said, Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. And then verse six goes, That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that what is born of the spirit is spirit.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So when he's talking about flesh, like the first birth, like we talked about, right? In Nicodemus, that's what he's thinking, like, but I surely can't enter back into my mother's womb. Like I can't be born again, like um, but not understanding that it's a spiritual birth. So we're all physically born into this world, and to be born again is to be spiritually alive, I suppose would be the easiest way to describe that. And there are um there are a lot of um words and terms that mean the same thing. So the term um born again is um maybe not as common or not used as often as the term maybe saved or regenerated or regeneration or salvation or conversion or new creation, right? Um so all of those are talking about like a point in your life where you were not walking, okay, so you're not walking with the Lord. Um, and then there's a point in your life where the Lord saves you and you become born again, or you are regenerated and you are born again, or um, you have been granted salvation. So it's you can use a lot of um terms. Um so you'll hear a lot of people talk using those terms. Um, or you might hear someone say, like, when did the Lord save you, or something like that. Um, but if I was, if someone asked me the question, like, when did the Lord save you? I would say, you know, I would give my story and then like, and I was born again at some point in this time period, right? Or which is when the Lord saved me. So um they all mean the same thing, but yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And can I just like mention that like this is such a like I honestly remember when I first read this, like I I wasn't a Christian at this point. It was just like when the Lord was starting to prompt my heart to start reading the word, and I remember having that like almost same exact thought as Nicodemus. Yeah, like what is this? This makes no sense. Like, what does this actually mean, you know? So it's like um cool to have more of that understanding of okay, like in order, you know, to be born again, like yeah, Jesus isn't talking about going into your mother's womb again, but exactly um, your heart being transformed, exactly in a new heart, yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01And um you might hear the term um a born-again Christian, um, which is I mean, I understand my people use that word, but the term a born-again Christian is actually very redundant because there is no such thing as a true Christian or a true believer of Christ who is not born again, um, as Jesus himself says. I don't know, I pointed your Bible right here, and I have the same script for open, but as Jesus himself says, um, where is it? Um, oh yes, unless it uh unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. So unless you are born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. And who enters the kingdom of God, who goes to heaven but Christians, right? So it's it should should be synonymous. A Christian is someone who is born again. Um, but as we know, there are um um, especially maybe in America or a more Christian nation, um, as was myself and was Annalisa, um, walking around our whole lives calling ourselves a Christian, but not truly a Christian, didn't actually have a changed heart and had not been born again. And so we weren't actually a Christian, right? So, which is why, like, when we share our testimony, you know, someone would say, like, oh, when did you become a Christian? And you're like, Well, I thought I was my whole life and this is the way I was living, such and such. And then like I understood that like this change has to happen. It's not just like this um thing you're born into because you go to church or because you live in America or something. It's like follow certain religious a change has to happen um in order to be a Christian, and who grants that change but the Lord?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's the Lord who reveals our sin to us, it's the Lord who um just grants that mercy upon us. Um, this is a good verse from Ezekiel 36, 26. It says, and I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02And it's like the idea of like the Lord putting a new spirit within us. Yeah. And like who then helps us to live for him. It's not on our own um not on our own strength that we're doing these things, or you know, turning from sin or repenting of sin. It's like truly the Lord who's re first of all revealing it to us and then like helping us and giving us that new heart.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02There there's even a I'm trying to think of a song like Have a Heart That Beats for You.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yes, I don't have much um, but I have a heart that beats for you. Yeah, I love that song. It talks about um not having anything to offer the Lord, um, but um basically like a heart that lives for him. Um and it is so beautiful. And what I love so much is that even that heart that beats for the Lord is a gift from him, right? And so that's just so cool. It's like, okay, I literally have nothing. Like, thank you. Everything I have is from you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Another good verse is from 1 Peter 1 23. It says, Since you've been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable seed, or but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that it that was preached to you.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and so the order of that is really interesting. So it says, They were sorry, can I read it from yours? So I'm just reading it in mine. Your Bible is gigantic, it's so heavy. Okay, um, they were born again through the living and abiding word of God. So, um, and it was the good news that someone preached to them. So that sorry, that brings up a good point. Like, how is one born again, right? How does that process happen? Um, and right there it says through the word of God, through the gospel being preached to someone, um, of course, the Lord is the one who does the saving. Um, but believers are called to share the good news and share the scriptures. Um, and and some people's stories they just read the Bible and the Lord revealed himself to them in it, and they were born again and they were saved. Um, and so that's really cool. Yeah, like how how is one born again? Um by hearing and understanding the gospel and and the word of God. And so it is a very um living and active word. Um, I wanted to read uh 2 Corinthians 517, um talking about being a um new creation. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. And who is it from? All of this is from God who through Christil reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. So we as believers are entrusted with a message of reconciliation. We are entrusted with the how, like we're believers, we're we're told, okay, this is this is how one person is reconciled to God, this is how one person uh someone is is saved, and we are given that message, the the gospel. Um, and then he says, We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. Um, for our sake, he made him to be sin, so he made Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Um, so yeah, just so beautiful, like talking about um that if anyone is in Christ, so if anyone is a Christian, if someone is in Christ, they are a new creation, they are not the same person.
SPEAKER_02Um they do not have that spiritually dead heart anymore. It's that regenerated heart.
SPEAKER_01Right. Yeah, which is which is why you can hear a story of someone who I mean, I've heard so many crazy, amazing stories of the Lord's mercy and grace upon someone's life, but you could hear a story of someone who lived just like an absolutely crazy life and you know, maybe even um killed people or just like had like a a really um dark past and um was very hardened by sin and um committing a lot of like outward sins, and then you can hear them tell their story and talk about, but like I am a new person, like like I didn't, you know, and they're just like it's like how what like how does someone change like that? And it's like they don't actually the Lord changes them, you know? So what happened to them? Like, how were they living this way and like a murderer? And then now they're out there sharing the good news of the Lord and like you know, a totally different person. What happened? Um, the Lord changed the heart. The Lord took their heart of stone and um gave them a heart of flesh and awakened them to their sin and they repented of it and to run to the Lord.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, called them to repentance to like want to run from that that sin and like to run with God that absolutely wants for their life.
SPEAKER_01And speaking of the word repentance, um, if you are listening to this and you have not listened to the previous episode, um, we would recommend listening to that one first. That would maybe give you a little bit more context. Um they all kind of play off of one another. Um, but yeah, if you haven't already, go back and listen to the previous episode, which is um on repentance and what that is.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so um I'm gonna read a verse from first Peter. First Peter 1, 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for s for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. So touching again on what Natalie was just talking about, like in this verse it says, according to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again. So I mean it just gotta be, I mean, I just know even knowing for myself, but it's just like such a relief to know like okay, there's there's nothing that I need to do in order to be like made right with God. Like there's nothing that I can I can't do a good amount, like I can't go to church X amount of times. I can't um do enough good deeds. Pray a certain amount of prayers, do enough good deeds, it's like truly his mercy. And then he gives us a new heart that beats for him. Yeah, and through that new heart we are called, he then like the Holy Spirit is. Helping us um to go and share about him or to go and be kind to your neighbor or just different things he puts on on Christians' hearts.
SPEAKER_01Right. And and it's then their joy too. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So beautiful. There's a few songs um that uh came to mind when we were talking about this um topic. And um one of them is Red Letters by Crowder. Um a little bit of a different vibe than some of the other songs we recommended, um, which is just really cool. So it just it has like it shares his his story. I would imagine. Um I imagine it's um he's writing about his story, but either way, if not, it's the story of someone's conversion, someone's um coming to know the Lord, someone's time of being born again and becoming a new creation. Um and just for context, I I don't want to um read all of it, we'll we'll link it in the um playlist, but um just for context, there is a line um in there. Then I read the red letters. Um, and so I didn't actually understand that line a lot when I was first listening to this song, but for my understanding, what he's saying is like he was reading the red letters in his Bible. So there's a lot of Bibles that are the words of Jesus are in red. Um, so he's sharing about his experience of reading the scriptures, reading the red letters of Christ, and then becoming saved and um understanding his um sin. And um then he it's just the the language he uses is so poetic and beautiful um of that transformation within his heart. Um, and then on the same note, on a very different side of the spectrum and music, my all-time favorite hymn um is called And Can It Be. It's very old. Um, oh, maybe not. 1989. I guess that's not that old, but um no, it's gotta be older than that. Okay, 1738. Where do they get 1989 from? Okay, either way, um if you uh listen to the lyrics, you'll understand the some of the words are very old, but um it goes through, yes, basically someone's conversion experience and the the title and can it be is um basically someone like looking at their life after you know coming to the Lord and being like, How was I granted mercy? Like how like what am I that I was granted mercy and that the Lord saved me and that I gained eternal life? Um that he was merciful to me. Um, what is the scripture? What is man that he is mindful of him? What is that scripture? Do you know?
SPEAKER_02I don't know about the top of my head.
SPEAKER_01But anyway, just someone, yeah, recognizing their unworthiness and then either way, the the language is is beautiful. Um, and I I just love it because it's just so relatable. Um, and just that what that looks like when uh internally when when uh someone comes to know the Lord and when the Lord changes them.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I like one last thought that I had was just like I really just want to encourage anyone that's you know listening. Like if if you do have any questions, definitely reach out to us. Um definitely not saying that we have the answers or know all the answers, but um we know the one who has all the answers for sure. And I would just love to help anyone alongside them, walk alongside them in their journey. Um to just uh encourage people to just open up their Bibles, um just get into the Word. It's so I don't know, it's just beautiful, it's amazing, it's just so powerful, it's life-changing. Yeah, it's active and alive. Yeah, ask the Lord to speak to you through it. Yeah, absolutely. Do you have any um anything else you'd like to say before we end here?
SPEAKER_01I don't think so. Just um, yeah, if this seems uh confusing, um we get it, like it is uh it's a spiritual topic, so it's spiritually discerned. It's yeah, it's it's a um can be a confusing topic. Um Nicodemus himself is like, I don't understand. What do you mean? Um, but yeah, if you have any um any questions, yeah, we'd love to answer those if we can or point you to someone or um something that that can. Um but I would say um most of all, if you have questions, turn turn to the Lord and um just ask him to to reveal himself to you and help you understand because he's the one that gives understanding.
SPEAKER_02Definitely, he's so good.
SPEAKER_01Yes, amen. We will close with that and we will see you very soon. Talk to you later. Bye.
SPEAKER_00Bye.